A number of attempts have been made to develop a wall structure that integrates framing and wall panels to form a complete wall. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,552,076; 3,788,020; 3,992,844; 4,706,429; 4,147,004; 4,833,855; and 4,894,969. Some of these structures comprise an assembly of wall panels or wall bricks having hollow passages which form a series of interlocking vertical and horizontal passages in the assembly. The passages are filled with concrete, with or without rebar, to form structural framing integral with wall panel or bricks. Other structures comprise reinforced composite wall panels that are interlocked to form a wall structure. A third type of structure comprises an assembly of foam plastic forms that function as permanent concrete forms after the concrete has been poured between the forms.
Although these various prior art structures apparently are easy to assemble, they require substantial planning and piecemeal methods for forming windows and doors. This is especially true when poured concrete is an essential element of the structure. These prior art structures can require a substantial amount of concrete. Concrete in some form is widely available, but the concrete goods vary and in many areas of the world, the concrete is not of structural load bearing quality. Thus, in many areas of the world structural concrete is difficult and/or expensive to obtain.
The present invention specifically addresses these and other deficiencies in the prior art and provides an integrated frame/wall panel wall structure that employs no concrete, is fabricated from a minimum number of standard framing elements, and a standard wall panel. The structure can be assembled with a minimum of tools and does not require employment of skilled professionals, such as carpenters, brick layers, and concrete pourers.
The present wall structure comprises various prefabricated framing elements, namely a post or stud, a U-shaped track, a header beam, and various brackets and fasteners, namely a corner bracket, a foundation bolt, a shoulder bolt, and a self-tapping screw. Standard window sills and door headers are pre-cut. Window jambs, door jambs, etc. are connected to the posts or studs with the standard corner bracket and self-tapping screws. The posts are connected to the U-shaped track with the self-tapping screws. The top of the posts are connected to the header beams with a standard bracket and shoulder bolt. The header beams are joined together end-to-end with a bracket on the top and bottom of the beams or with a bracket on the bottom and a standard strap on the top.
A minimum number of tools are required to assemble the wall structure: a hot knife or saw to cut the wall panel, a screw driver and/or socket wrench to tighten the self-tapping screws, a wrench or socket wrench to tighten the shoulder bolt and the foundation bolt or nut, and a drill and bits to drill any additional apertures for the self-tapping screws, the shoulder bolts and/or the foundation bolt.